During last Tuesday night’s special session of the Utah Legislature, a controversial measure that passed last year dealing with collective bargaining in the public sector was repealed.
Lawmakers on both sides of the political aisle united in repealing HB267, the bill that prohibited public-sector unions from having the ability to negotiate with employers on wages and work conditions.
Curiously, it was the sponsor of HB267, South Jordan Rep. Jordan Teuscher, who was among the most vocal to repeal it. He said the bill needed more study and clarification to be effective. The vote Tuesday night was for repeal by a 60-9 margin in the House and 26-1 in the Senate.
Republican leadership took a preemptive stand before the session, issuing a press release Tuesday morning saying legislators and Protect Utah Workers (PUW) wanted to repeal the ban.
“Legislative leadership and the coalition of 21 public and private labor unions agree that all public employees deserve a meaningful say in their compensation, benefits, performance, and working conditions,” the release said. “Finding common ground reflects a shared commitment to keeping Utah the best place for families and public employees who live in the communities they serve.”
“It’s clear that the heated debate around these issues has created unnecessary division, which was never the intent,” Senate President J. Stuart Adams and House Speaker Mike Schultz said in the release. “Repealing the bill allows us to reset the discussion and move forward to ensure we get this right. We’re committed to continuing conversations with all stakeholders to craft policies that support our public employees, protect public funds, and keep Utah’s government responsive and accountable to the people we serve.”
“We know Utahns support the rights of public workers,” added the PUW coalition. “The coalition thanks legislative leadership for listening to the people and appreciates the conversations we’ve had to support public employees. This repeal preserves the rights of first responders, educators, and all other critical public workers who improve the lives of Utahns every day.”
Lawmakers will now work on creating new measures to protect workers and employers in both private and public sectors. That could lead to a new bill coming before the Legislature when it convenes in January.